MBSS Site Summary for: SEAS-113-R-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-113-R-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-113-R-2014-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on GRANNY FINLEY BRANCH in the Southeast Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130508.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/2014 and again in the summer on 6/18/2014.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Results:

An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a scientific tool used to identify and classify stream health. An IBI associates anthropogenic influences on a stream or with biological condition in the stream, and is formulated using data developed from biosurveys.
Details on the development and application of MBSS IBIs are in this document.
Fish IBI Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 616 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 8.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 70 %
Forested Land Use 21 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 3 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.96
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		645.98 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.6679 mg/L

Biological Stream Condition:

Surveys of the organisms living within a stream can give indications of stream health. Species richness, or the number of different species present, as well as indicator species (species whose presence, absence or abundance can serve as a measure of environmental conditions) are informative for stream health. 		Close-up of a mayfly indicator species.

Fish Survey Results:
The following 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 210
Green Sunfish 69
Brown Bullhead 51
Eastern Mosquitofish 43
Bluegill 20
Redfin Pickerel 15
Tessellated Darter 14
Largemouth Bass 11
American Eel 9
Tadpole Madtom 7
Creek Chubsucker 4
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus acutus acutus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Maiden Grass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 23
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 13
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 12
Prosimulium Black Fly 11
Gammarus Amphipod 7
Orthocladiinae Midge 7
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 6
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 2
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 2
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Campeloma 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Kick net sampling for macroinvertebrates.
Sampling with a kick net.

Information disclaimer: The information and data on this page is for guidance and general planning purposes only. It should not be used to make decisions on specific matters.